Eating their own poop or that of another dog is not only a disgustingly bad habit that many dogs partake in but it can also be an indication of health problems.

Abnormal indigestive behavior such as eating poop, rocks, iron, glass, ice, screws, gravel, dirt, or just eating abnormal amounts of food can be related to PICA (Pie-Kuh)–consistent ingestion of nonfood material or Coprophagia (cop-ra-FAY-jee-a)–ingestion of feces.

According to The Merck Veterinary Manual, PICA and Coprophagia can be signs of behavioral problems such as obsessive compulsive disorders. However, some animal studies by holistic veterinarians suggest that a lack of nutrition may also be the culprit.

Although your dog may be eating a well-balanced diet of both wet and dry foods, the ability of your dog’s digestive system to properly absorb the nutrients in the fool may be less than adequate. Dogs are instinctively driven to scavenge or find foods to supplement their needs and will often turn to such things as feces, vomit, and decaying flesh to find these valuable nutrients.

Some foods that are difficult for a dog to completely digest, such as carrots and grain-based foods, can become a trigger for the dog to ingest feces. A diet low in carbohydrates and high in protein may help to improve your dog’s ability to digest food and to produce stools that are less appetizing.

Many holistic veterinarians suggest supplementing your dog’s diet with enzymes such as those found in Prozyme. Other suggest the use of herbs such as ginger or cinnamon in tiny amounts (1/8 to 1/4 tsp) sprinkled on their food to make the feces less appetizing. The addition of pineapple, spinach, garlic, and pumpkin, in small amounts, to your dog’s food can also help in making the feces less desirable to eat.

If you have a dog that is eating his or other animal feces, you should first have them examined by a qualified veterinarian. Coprophagia may simply be due to a lack of nutrients, however, there are many other possible causes including Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency (the inability of the pancreas to produce a sufficient amount of digestive enzymes), Pancreatitis (an inflamed pancreas), and intestinal infections.

While the feces may provide the nutrients the dog is seeking, they may also contain parasites such as round worms or whipworms and can lead to other more serious medical disorders.

There are three types of Coprophagia:

Autocoprophagia–when a dog partakes in eating his or her own feces.

Intraspecific Coprophagia–when a dog partakes in eating the feces of another animal in his or her own species.

Interspecific Coprophagia–when a dog partakes in eating the feces of another species of animal such as cat feces or deer and rabbit droppings.

Other reasons for a dog eating feces include a need for attention, (even if it is from being disciplined by their owner), copying other animals who engage in eating feces, following the maternal instinct to clean up, or simply not being fed enough to satisfy their appetite.

Whatever the reason, it may be more than just a disgusting habit and should be investigated to ensure the health of your canine.

Cayenne pepper is one of the most powerful and beneficial herbs known to mankind, but unfortunately very few know of its efficacy. Cayenne pepper and heart health should be synonymous for anyone with heart disease or cardiovascular issues but it is not. Due to the power and might of Big Pharma and their unholy alliance with the United States government, many Americans are simply unaware of natural herbs that can dramatically improve their heart health.

“If this is true, then why haven’t the masses heard of it?” you may ask. A fair question. In a word, money. Literally billions of dollars have been spent on heart disease care and research, not to mention the billions on pharmaceutical drugs fighting cholesterol.

In fact, the number-one-selling drug in the US is Lipitor — ostensibly sold to reduce cholesterol and by extension heart disease. Cayenne could eliminate all that and that is why the medical establishment doesn’t want people to know about it.

Before discussing the benefits of cayenne pepper and heart health however, let’s consider the result of the billions that have been “invested” in the name of curing heart disease for if there is one fundamental criterion by which government and medical institutional spending should be judged, it should be by the results.

According to a May 25th, 2006 report by the BBC, heart disease is the biggest killer in the United Kingdom. Across the pond in the United States, the National Heart Foundation says, “Coronary heart disease is the single greatest cause of death for both men and women in the US, eclipsing all other causes, including cancer and lung diseases. Every year more than 479,000 Americans die of coronary heart disease.”

Clearly, the current allopathic (traditional Western medicine) approach is lacking.

The unholy collusion between government, pharmaceutical interests and institutional medicine, with its powerful financial influence, pervades nearly every facet of society. Homeopathic medicine is not only derided but persecuted and even criminalized while allopathic medicine is deified as the only way to health.

In reality, the joining of the best of allopathic and homeopathic interventions would be ideal, but for that to happen, results would have to be the final arbiter as to an intervention’s effectiveness, not corporate and governmental interests.

Background Info

So, what is cayenne? You probably recognize its name as a potent condiment often used in cooking, but its value lies well beyond its culinary uses. It is an herb that is nothing short of amazing.

It is a multi-talented herb that is also known, although obliquely so, as African red pepper, American red pepper, Spanish pepper, capsicum, and bird pepper. Cayenne is derived from two related plants. Specifically, the American variety (Capsicum minimum) is distinguished from its African counterpart the African birdseye cayenne (Capsicum fastigiatum) although both are highly beneficial to man. The African birdseye cayenne is the most pungent with small, yellowish red pods while the American variety is distinguished with its herb-sized plants and larger fruit or pods.

The food value of cayenne is known, of course, but its real value is as a medicinal and nutritional herb. Its medical uses include using it for wounds, heart disease, heart attacks, heart problems at large, ulcers, congestion, colds, chills, bleeding of the lungs, neuralgia, lumbago, hemorrhage, hemorrhoids, high and low blood pressure, indigestion, and kidney and related problems. (This is by no means a comprehensive list as to the herb’s effectiveness.)

Cayenne is a stimulant and as such is an activator, carrier, and accentuator to other herbs as well. Still, it can and should be used by itself. Let’s discuss now some of those ancillary uses before we talk in depth about capsicum and heart health.

Cayenne pepper anti-fungal properties are tangible although this is not its primary health benefit. It has been shown in some studies to be active against collectotrichum and phomopsis, both of which are fungal pathogens. These important fungal pathogens affect strawberries and other fruits and are not directly related to humans per se.

However, cayenne immune system benefits are of interest to researchers. Currently, it is being studied by many nutritional supplement companies for its therapeutic and nutritional benefits. If you desire a natural anti-fungal aid, garlic is preferred over cayenne for garlic has long been known for its anti-fungal properties. (In Russia, it has long been called “the Russian penicillin.”)

Health Benefits of Cayenne Pepper

Capsicum increases metabolism by immediately influencing the venous structure. It is remarkable with its immediate effects on the circulatory system as it feeds the vital elements into the cell structure of capillaries, veins, arteries and helps adjust blood pressure to normal levels. Yes, cayenne pepper for high blood pressure is certainly one of its core uses, but it cleans the arteries as well.

It also stimulates the peristaltic motion of the intestines and aids in assimilation and elimination. When taken internally, it warms the body and has even been used by some herbalist doctors to help severe frostbite as cayenne not only facilitates the healing of the flesh but it helps rebuild tissue as well.

Notwithstanding its hot taste, it is superb for rebuilding the tissue in the stomach for it actually facilitates rapid healing with stomach and intestinal ulcers. Capsicum for ulcers is not something most would have considered due to its native calidity but the author can testify to this aspect of this wonder herb.

Its Dramatic Effects

Dr. John Christopher, the famed natural herbalist, was persecuted relentlessly by the government while assisting patients in curing cancer, heart disease, pleurisy, tuberculosis, infertility, rheumatism, leukemia, and other maladies. One of his greatest stories in his long career was how he could instantly stop a heart attack if he could get the patient to drink a glass of warm cayenne water. In his writings, he said, “A teaspoon of cayenne should bring the patient out of the heart attack.”

(While this is not directly related to heart health, with internal hemorrhaging, if the patient can drink a glass of extra warm water with cayenne, Dr. Christopher wrote, “…by the count of ten the bleeding will stop. Instead of all the pressure being centralized, it is equalized and the clotting becomes more rapid.”)

Perhaps now you can see why cayenne is regarded as a “miracle herb.” With over 700,000 Americans experiencing a stroke each year and almost half a million dying of heart disease, the cure to a healthy heart is as close as your local grocery store. The cayenne detoxification drink, when taken religiously, will dramatically improve your heart health as well as your venous structure.

Side Effects of Cayenne Pepper

What are the side effects of cayenne pepper? What are its bad points? Well, it is certainly hot to the taste. Drinking what the author calls the cayenne detoxification drink is not for the faint of heart (on second thought perhaps it is!). When starting to drink the cayenne pepper detoxification drink, it tends to come out of the body’s orifices with a burning sensation.

Not to worry, though. It is very beneficial. In fact, capsicum will help clear up hemorrhoids if taken regularly — especially if the hemorrhoid sufferer changes their diet to one more rich in fiber.

To mitigate its heat, the author suggests starting with just a half a teaspoon of cayenne in a glass of eight ounces of lukewarm water (or even less if desired). Have another glass of just water nearby as drinking cold water after the cayenne drink will help mitigate the calidity of the drink’s after effects. Yes, you can take it in capsule form but its effects won’t be immediate the way it would be by direct application.

There are also some who suggest combining lemon water and cayenne for fast metabolism. (There are also some who think that a combination of cayenne lemon fat burn facilitates adipose loss. That is debatable, but drinking a concoction of lemon water and cayenne for fast metabolism is certainly more palatable.)

Drinking the capsicum detoxification drink daily will produce noticeable benefits, and the body will acclimate very quickly to its native heat. Within a month or two, you will be able to drink a tablespoon of capsicum without too much discomfort.

Yes, you could go on a cayenne fruit diet, but drinking it is easier and more convenient. One last comment: no significant side effects have been reported. Of course, taking too much of anything is not healthy, a problem never really attributed to cayenne due to its heat. In terms of health side effects, there are none. As with all things, though, use with discretion and wisdom.

Conclusion

If you are concerned about your heart health, or if you are suffering from heart ailments, cayenne should be a daily staple in your diet. This incredible herb is a wonder and can tremendously affect your health. Cayenne is one of the greatest health secrets in the world.

Cayenne certainly is a great condiment, used with panache by great cooks and chefs, but its true value lies in its medicinal qualities. Slowly and surely, its remarkable benefits are gaining awareness by a public becoming increasingly disenchanted by traditional medicine’s non-causal approach. Perhaps now you can see why cayenne is a prince among herbs.

Why do you have anxiety? Why are you prone to panic attacks? What’s wrong with you? Why are you worried so much? These are some of the questions that might be flashing through your mind if you suffer from generalized anxiety or panic attacks.

There are a lot of reasons that people experience anxiety at different points in their lives or as a sustained problem. Traumatic events, upheaval, financial, personal or emotional strain and longer term biological and behavioral factors may come into play. For some people, however, they experience anxiety because they lack meaning or purpose in their life.

So many of us often ask the question, why are we here? What is our purpose? What were we meant to contribute? Some answers seem obvious; others are more elusive and leave us searching for answers.

We all have a basic idea that we should strive to be good people, help others, give to those less fortunate and work hard with honesty and integrity. But so many of us wonder how to achieve our full potential, how to achieve great things, whatever that particular concept means to us as individuals, and live a complete life.

So many people are bored, stymied, feel held back or incomplete because they haven´t achieved or accomplished what they think they are capable of. If you´re having this nagging feeling of not reaching your potential it can make you anxious.

If you feel trapped in your job, your residence, your location, your family situation and your current life, it can contribute to anxiety, phobias or panic attacks. These attacks are simply manifestations of the fear you feel about being trapped in your current life situation. Fears are often a mirror through which we can view ourselves.

Sometimes simply finding an outlet to give your life greater meaning or purpose can reduce your feelings of anxiety and panic. Monumental changes to your life are not usually necessary but finding a passion, exploring and developing it can be instrumental in providing you with a more positive outlook.

Going back to school, changing your career, developing a talent or getting involved in your community can all be ways to find a more complete purpose in life. When we feel we are living up to our potential, using our talents and fulfilling our purpose we feel better about ourselves, others and our own lives. Feeling good is really the best tool in fighting anxiety, panic and fear.

Regardless of your age, profession or life circumstances you can make small changes that have big mental impacts. Happiness isn´t measured in dollars; it´s really about being fulfilled. Some people find this feeling at church or with their own spirituality, while others find it through community involvement and outreach.

Still others find satisfaction in pursuing hobbies, changing careers, learning a new occupation or developing a new talent. Contributions big and small are all important to the world and you need to find your little piece of happiness.

Once you do, you will feel better, experience less anxiety and lead a generally more fulfilled life. Start your search now.

Food delivery services offer vital assistance to thousands if not millions of people in the country and around the world. Essentially food delivery services are an important support system for those that want help in ensuring they have well cooked, prepared meals delivered to their door. But where does the service originate? And how does it help people on a day to day basis?

The first food delivery services started during the Second World War, particularly throughout the Blitz where many homes were destroyed and large swathes of the population were left with no kitchens in which to cook their meals. The idea was developed from the work of the Women’s Volunteer Service who had previously delivered meals to servicemen; transferring the process to families that had lost their homes due to bombing raids.

Following the war the food delivery programmes developed by the Women’s Volunteer Service were continued. It is believed that the first use of the service occurred as early as 1947 in Hemel Hempstead. At this stage, rather than the vans that are used today, the meals were delivered using old prams. At this stage the meals that were being delivered were predominantly pre cooked and kept warm. In the modern age most local councils have developed similar services although predominantly councils now use frozen ready meals rather than delivering hot food.

Whilst it was in the UK that the first food delivery networks were created the idea soon spread around the world. In the United States the inaugural home delivery service for food was created in Philadelphia. From 1954 onwards this service strived to feed those that were housebound, ensuring that they received their quota of dietary requirements and would not go hungry. The Philadelphia model was used across the country, first in Columbus and then New York.

Australians were also quick to realise the benefits of food delivery services for the elderly. The first service in this country was started in 1952, apparently delivered by a woman on a tricycle before the Red Cross took over to ensure supply could meet the demand. Many other services started throughout Australia, including one in Port Adelaide and Sydney. Today food delivery programmes are well established and organised on regional basis.

Clogged arteries are responsible for a number of ailments including heart pain, high blood pressure, and peripheral arterial disease. Many of my male patients are shocked when I tell them that plaque build-up may even be causing their erectile dysfunction. How can that be? All of these conditions stem from the same cause, insufficient blood flow through arteries.

In the first part of this series, you learned how coronary artery disease and blocked arteries could lead to serious health consequences. I recommended some non-drug, non-surgical treatments you can do on your own to both prevent and improve arterial disease and its symptoms.

Now I’d like to expand on an alternative method of dissolving plaque and increasing blood flow in arteries using specific vitamins and safe chemical compounds. This therapy is called oral chelation.

What Is Chelation Therapy?

Chelation therapy has been used since about 1955 for treating heart/arterial disease. The idea of using chelation for heart disease sprang from using chelation for toxic lead, arsenic, and mercury levels. A compound called calcium disodium EDTA, an amino acid, binds to those metals. The EDTA-bound metal is then removed from your body through urination.

Using this toxic metal removal model, it was thought that a variation of the same compound, disodium EDTA, would bind to plaque and remove it from arteries. Based on this same principle, oral chelation formulas were created.

Oral Chelation Supplements

People have taken oral chelation supplements for years as an alternative treatment for coronary artery disease. In fact, because of their widespread use, the National Institute of Health recently began a clinical study to document the specific benefits of chelation therapy.

As I tell my patients who ask me about oral chelation formulas, I feel the better ones contain a lot of heart/artery-health promoting vitamins, minerals, and food-derived chemicals that can be of benefit in promoting heart and artery health. Let’s look, then, at what I think a good oral chelation supplement might contain:

•B-Vitamins – like B6, B12, and folic acid, known to be crucial to heart health in reducing homocysteine, a chemical that promotes plaque. They also maintain energy.

•TMG (trimethylglycine) – also known as betaine, derived from beets, this chemical IS actually FDA-approved for treating high homocysteine levels.

•EDTA – as noted above, this chemical binds to arterial plaque and removes it. EDTA is also FDA, and USDA, approved as a food additive.

•NAC (N-acetyl cysteine) – a chemical found in high protein foods, it is an amino acid that, like EDTA, also acts as a toxin binding/removal agent.

How Does Oral Chelation Work?

Oral chelation formulas come in pill form and are taken like you would any other supplement. They go to work by binding to mineral deposits (namely calcium which plaque is), breaking it down and liquefying it so it can be removed from your arteries. Drinking plenty of filtered water daily will help flush the chelated minerals and toxins out of your blood.

It’s a good idea not to take any mineral supplements until a few hours after you take a chelation formula as the minerals can be chelated out of your system. Prescription medicine should also be taken a few hours apart from chelation supplements.

Vitamin C and Vitamin E supplements should be taken as they are antioxidants which help prevent oxidation of cholesterol into plaques.

Benefits of Oral Chelation Formulas

There are several arterial health conditions which can benefit from the artery-flushing effects of oral chelation. They are:

Although oral chelation therapy may still be a controversial subject, it has its following of loyal supporters. According to Everyday Health, a recent survey of people who used chelation therapy, 62% said it gave them a sense of control over their heart disease. For optimum effectiveness, chelation supplements should be combined with a heart/artery healthy diet, no smoking, and beneficial exercise.

As with any supplement, read labels and be sure you have a quality oral chelation formula with ingredients such as those mentioned above. Consult a doctor familiar with the use of oral chelation formulas. They can monitor you, ensure their correct usage, and avoid any possible adverse effects that may arise.

It is not a good time to be an ice cream vendor in London these days. Transport for London has a new legislation regarding larger vans and minibuses taking effect from 3 January 2012. I am a self-employed vendor and have made numerous enquiries along with my colleagues struggling with what to do regarding updating our ice cream vans or purchasing and fitting an approved filter that complies. Most of us found it very hard to afford to convert a new van as they can cost tens of thousands of pounds or more especially if you were to buy a professionally built conversion.

We have spoken to exhaust suppliers listed on the TFL’s website and we had a great deal of conflicting and technical information. We were also told from many sources that there is no perfect application for an ice cream van and that we were probably better off selling the vans out of London and replacing them with ones that are Euro 3 or above which would then comply. The filters can cost up to five thousand pounds, £5000, for a system and most if not all of these systems have not been tried and tested on the vans that are idle for up to ten hours a day. Our applications are pretty unique as we are often in one place and idle for a whole day (i.e events and pitch’s). Ice cream vans need to have their engines on in order to power a soft machine or the option would be to turn the engine off and just serve scooped vanilla ice cream.

Some cheaper and basic systems would most probably block up while trading and there were some regenerating systems that should clear themselves whist driving but you would need to go for a good old drive down the motorway in order to clear. There were a few that could regenerate while stationary but we felt that we were not completely convinced and could find ourselves in trouble come the summer months either looking to replace an exhaust again or to replace the van completely. We have not had a great season and the rounds had really been depressed this year but we felt that we would probably be much safer to invest in a new conversion rather going down the road of chancing an exhaust installation.

In a few years, we may have to comply with Euro 4 applications so it only made sense to buy a van that would be compliant when the next legislation is applied. The legacy of this is that there will probably be quite a few less ice cream vendors trading within the TFL zone or within the M25. I know of a few of the older generation of ice cream vendors who have decided to put their vans for sale and have call it a day.